I finally got a digital camera

I know I haven't made a post in 9 days, but I wanted to wait until I got a digital camera. I bought one yesterday and took some pictures today.

Work has been very busy! There's a lot to do here. They have 6 full time CAD staff (plus me). They work in Microstation and AutoCAD and the people I supervise are from all of the world. Russia, Italy, China, America and 2 Australians. So there's a lot of different perspectives and accents. All of these foreigners, like myself, are 1st generation transfers and on visa. 1 year ago the CAD staff was only 2 people. So there's been a lot of growth. These guys are all good people .(although the other American is kind of a egotistical biker dude and one of the Australians reminds me of a cross between the "Family Guy" dad and Archie Bunker) . The group has done their best with no real CAD leadership and they have some good procedures in place but a lot of inconsistency in following them. Needless to say things are a disorganized mess at best! I think the office will soon find out I'm only diplomatic and politically correct for so long. Here's a picture of my cubical (step down from the nice window office I had in Portland).


Life in Melbourne is good. I have found a band to play with. It's the Melbourne Rainbow Band. Made up of about 40+ members .With all kinds of instruments, (Sorry Omar, no accordions) There are 5 saxophonist including me. They meet every Thursday. I've only gone once so far, but plan on going again tomorrow night. Last week I was only able to follow along reading the music as they played and occasionally chime in with a stray note. I had 2 very good alto sax players on either side of me, Adrian and Bob. At one single moment they both played an F when an F sharp was written and I played it right! It was totally AWESOME! I learned a lot just by sitting there and listening to them. (Meg, you'd be proud) They're practicing for a early November concert, with pieces from Phantom of the Opera and a Glen Miller swing band song. Far beyond my current skill level. So following along with the music and hitting a stray note isn't bad for me.

My weekend was spent looking at apartments mostly. I have found a person, Michael Richards, (No not the bartender at the Cove, but the same name). That I think I could live with. He's gay in his mid 40's and a Physic nurse at a local HIV Clinic. I'll post a picture when I can. I've decided to find a place together with him instead of moving into someone else's place. It will probably be in St Kilda (south of downtown). We're looking at more apartments this weekend. Apartments here in town are hard to come by. When we looked last weekend there were 5 or 6 other groups of people in each flat. Most are only being shown for 15 to 30 minutes at a time. (customer service, in any field, here is NOT what it's like in the states, no one basically gives a shit!) So the consumer does all the leg work and beg and pleads for some help!



I did have dinner with Giacomo, friend I met on line before moving, Friday night. He's Italian, only been in town 6 months and a pastry chef at one of the bakeries. A really nice guy that reminds me a lot of my old friend, Sven Gomez, (for those that remember him). We had dinner at a Thai place then went for Italian hot chocolates. Think melted chocolate in a glass, FABULOUS! A place called Burnetti's where he used to work. He then took me to "The Sircut" a ALL male gay bar. I had a good time when I was with Giacomo, but I did feel a little out of place. Maybe it's because in Portland I knew everyone and the scene very well. Giacomo introduced me to a few of his friends and those people made me feel welcome. After he went home I felt more out of place, I finished my drink and headed home.


Saturday night another on line friend. Brian (we could be brothers we look so much a like) took me to a bear function at "The Laird". Again all nice guys and I was more relaxed there. I met up with Melanie and Darrin about 10pm for a few drinks and then headed back to "The Sircut" around 1 am, which I found out doesn't close until 9am! The Sircut has a cruising area upstairs and it's more like club Portland than a bar, enough said, Mom is reading this!


Sunday was spent looking at more apartments, shopping at the market and catching up on household chores. (Boy, do I miss Michelle! doing the laundry myself SUCKS! I don't think I every thanked her enough. So THANK YOU MICHELLE!!!!)


I'm really getting used to the city and am able to find most of the services I need now. I have a good understanding of which train I need to be on and how to function on public transit. (My PDX coworkers are thinking.... You better! you spent the last 15 years working on public transit projects!). The city itself lies on the Yarra river. The picture to the left is a pedestrian bridge, named Sandbirdge. It links the south side of the river, where my office is, to Flinders Street Station, a major transit train station with 14 platforms.



Which is housed in the basement levels of this beautiful old building. The building 3 full city blocks by 1 city block in the photo to the right. It's a major hub of the city's transit system and thousands upon thousands of people flow through this spot every day.



The next picture is of the 92 story apartment building, Eureka Tower. It's the tallest building in Melbourne and touted at the tallest apartment building in the world. (Jan Newton, might be able to contradict that with some new building in the UAE) I mentioned this place before I left Portland. It's located between my office building and my current apartment building. I have not been up to the 88th floor observation deck yet. But hope to this weekend now that I have a camera. It's supposed to be around 70 degrees (19 Celsius) and sunny, not bad for the middle of winter! Everyone says spring starts on September 1st. (we all know the equinox is on September 21st) Not bad since in Portland spring starts around May 1st! about 5 weeks after the equinox!

Well friends I think that's enough for tonight. I have another big day at work tomorrow and my plans for the week are more mundane things. I hope you've enjoyed by thoughts and ramblings. I miss you all greatly and wish I could hear your voices. Have a great weekend and I'll try to post again next week. Brian